Ultrasonic-assisted extraction of lutein from fig (Ficus carica) and development of nanostructured lipid carriers to encapsulate lutein to enhance its bioavailability and bioaccessibility | |
| Author | Chaipakon Srichomchoei |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.FB-25-01 |
| Subject(s) | Extraction (Chemistry) Freeze-drying Fig |
| Note | A Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Food Engineering and Bioprocess Technology |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | This study focused on the enhancement of lutein extraction from dried fig (Ficus carica) powder by using ultrasound assisted extraction (UAE) with sunflower oil as solvent A Box-Behnken Design (BBD) was employed to optimize amplitude, extraction time, and solid-to-liquid ratio parameters to maximize lutein yield and antioxidant activity. The optimized UAE conditions significantly improved lutein recovery, with shorter extraction times and higher amplitudes favoring better yields. The solid to liquid ratio was found to be the most influential factor affecting extraction efficiency. Following extraction, lutein was encapsulated within nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) formulated with cocoa butter and sunflower oil, stabilized by tea saponins. Two optimal NLC formulations A2 (70:30 CB:SO, 1:9 oil-to-aqueous ratio, 2% saponins) and D1 (80:20 CB:SO, 1:19 oil-to-aqueous ratio, 1% saponins)—were selected based on superior encapsulation efficiency, physical stability, and emulsion properties. Encapsulation significantly enhanced the chemical stability of lutein during storage at 4°C and 25°C, under UV exposure, and thermal stress at 63°C. A2 consistently showed higher lutein retention compared to D1 and the unencapsulated control. In vitro digestion studies demonstrated that NLC encapsulation improved lutein bioaccessibility compared to free lutein. Although D1 exhibited higher free fatty acid (FFA) release during digestion, indicating greater lipid hydrolysis, A2 achieved the highest lutein bioaccessibility at 53.11%, compared to 43.23% for D1 and 14.85% for the control. The findings suggest that a higher emulsifier concentration in A2 promoted better interfacial stabilization and micelle formation, critical for bioactive delivery. In conclusion, the use of ultrasound-assisted extraction followed by NLC encapsulation successfully enhanced lutein extraction efficiency, stability, and bioaccessibility. This research provides valuable insights for the development of stable, bioavailable lutein delivery systems, with potential applications in functional foods, nutraceuticals, and health supplements. |
| Year | 2025 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development |
| Department | Department of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources (Former title: Department of Food Agriculture, and BioResources (DFAB)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Food Engineering and Bioprocess Technology (FB) |
| Chairperson(s) | Anal, Anil Kumar; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Loc, Thai Nguyen;Bora, Tanujjal; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Royal Thai Government Fellowship; |
| Degree | Thesis (M. Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2025 |